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Monday, March 30, 2015

Here are two preview clips from Law & Order SVU “Devastating Story” which will air on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at 9PM ET on NBC. The previews feature Mariska Hargitay, Peter Scanavino, Kelli Giddish, and Rob Morrow.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

“Parole Violations” was a simple, predictable, yet tightly written episode that was saved only by the performances of the guest stars. Marin Ireland was great as Sonny Carisi’s sister who was high strung and bouncing off the walls a bit. It’s understandable considering that she’s pregnant and isn’t sure at first whether her boyfriend Tommy was really raped or just lying to cover up an indiscretion with his parole officer. Michael Chernus was believable as the guy who is trying to get his life back together but find himself being taken advantage of in the worst way by his creepy parole officer, played to the nauseating hilt by Molly Price.

This was a decent feature for Peter Scanavino, giving viewers the chance to see him interact with family. We find he has two other sisters and it seems like Sonny may be the only one who is relatively normal and has a good sense of himself. I suspect that giving him two more sisters in addition to Bella leaves the door open for more family dysfunction at a later date, hopefully they won't be "special victims."

It was interesting that Rollins seemed skeptical of Tommy at first, likely because she’s seen the same behaviors in her sister, and we all know that didn’t turn out too well. I also suspect that she is still stinging from her own experiences with dealing with people in power who demand sexual favors, which may have helped her ultimately to see Tommy’s side of the story.

Barba commented that he couldn’t find one DA there who had taken a case like this to court. Clearly he forgot about a case that ADA Cabot took to court in the season 3 SVU episode “Ridicule." (Long time fans will recall this case as the first time Diane Neal appeared on SVU, as a suspect, not as ADA.) I think there was another case but now I can’t seem to find it.

Sonny Carisi is at his sister Bella’s apartment and she gushes over having a baby and all the baby things she now has. She and her boyfriend Tommy will be married in April. Tommy enters and surprised to see Carisi, then explains he has a meeting with his parole officer. Carisi asks how that is going and Tommy avoids answering, while Bella says Tommy got a promotion and is head of a moving team. Carisi thinks this is good news for Tommy’s PO. Bella adds they have a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon for her first sonogram. After Tommy leaves, Carisi takes in all the changes, and Bella gives him a loving punch and says they are happy, which makes him happy too.

Later, Tommy meets with Donna, his parole officer and he is antsy because she is very late. He explains he had a doctor’s appointment and when Donna tells him he should have made it a different date, he explains it is for Bella and she is pregnant and he tells her about his promotion. Donna seems to think this is a lot of stress and then orders he do a urine test. She tells him the bathroom is flooded – he asks “still?” – and she orders he do the test right there in the office. Donna threatens that if he declines, she’s ship his ass upstate right now He reluctantly complies.

Meanwhile, back at SVU, Carisi enters and offers cannoli to his co-workers. Bella rushes in, frantic that Tommy did not come home last night. She last spoke with him after her sonogram and he was still waiting for his PO and now his calls are going to voice mail. She did not call his parole officer. He takes her to an interview room and tells her not to worry, they will find him.

At the 11th precinct on Thursday, February 26, Carisi has found Tommy who was arrested for a bar fight. Carisi doesn’t want to cover for him and also says because Tommy is now in the system, his PO has already been notified. Tommy says he is not worried about that, and when Carisi says his PO officer will stick it to him, Tommy explains that “she” already has so no way she will bust her now. Tommy says his PO made her do it, and Carisi gets enraged, throwing Tommy against the car, angry Tommy cheated on his pregnant sister. Tommy explains she made him do it at gunpoint and begs Carisi not to tell Bella.

Later, back at SVU, Carisi explains Tommy’s problem with Benson and seems skeptical considering Tommy’s past history, Benson reminds him if Tommy was assaulted, Tommy will need his support. Carisi explains Tommy doesn’t get that he was assaulted and Benson explains it is hard for women to disclose but for men…she asks what Tommy told him. Carisi explains that his PO pressured him into sex after an in-office urine test and she pulled a gun on him. Carisi thinks because Tommy is a guy he had to be into it or nothing would have worked. He suspects Tommy went on a bender and cheated on Bella and that this is a ruse. Benson thinks Tommy was raped. Carisi asks if that is possible, and when Benson says “Carisi” he says he gets it, it is possible, but Tommy is never going to go there. Benson counters not with Carisi he won’t.

At 517 West 22nd Street on Thursday, February 26, Benson and Amaro approach Tommy while he is on a moving job. They discuss Tommy’s problem and Tommy tries to brush it off but Benson and Amaro convince him, for Bella’s sake, to go to the hospital to be test for STDs and evidence. They ask him to bring them his clothes from last night, Amaro saying that Donna is his PO and they don’t know what she would do or say about Tommy. As Tommy gets called back to his work, Benson gives him her business card and tells him to come in tomorrow and bring in the clothes he was wearing and they will take his statement. He takes her card and agrees.

Later, back at SVU, Benson discusses the situation with Carisi, Amaro, and Rollins. When Carisi hears Tommy came in and gave his statement, he asks if he was credible. Amaro seems supportive but Rollins seems skeptical, saying it looks bad that Tommy did not disclose until AFTER he violated his parole. Benson tells them to do their due diligence and see if CSU turns up anything on the clothes. Carisi explains Tommy hasn’t told his sister yet and they have to slow this down, and Benson tells Carisi he can’t be part of this investigation but he can walk Tommy and his sister trough where it can go. He agrees and then walks off. After he leaves, Benson continues the discussion with Amaro and Rollins. Amaro says Tommy’s PO, Donna Marshall, graduated with a Masters in social work and was at the top of her class. She has been at the downtown office for over a decade. Rollins adds that Donna’s boss, Ralph Kessel, cited her on the DOC website as having the lowest recidivism rate in his department. Benson suggests they invite him in. Rollins comments if they think the NYPD has a blue wall, they know how the department of corrections is going to frame this. Benson says she does, but wonders what if the genders were reversed, asking if Rollins is saying a respected male officer wouldn’t abuse his power to coerce a woman into sex? She reminds them of t he look they saw on Tommy’s face and his affect and they know something happened to him and they should take the case as seriously if it was a woman accusing a male PO.

Later, Benson welcomes Ralph Kessel into her office along with Amaro. When they explain a parolee made a rape accusation against a PO, he is surprised to hear it was against a female PO, Donna, and the accusation was made by a man. Benson explains that Donna pulled a gun on him and Ralph jokes about it and doesn’t believe it. Benson says legally they have to follow up and that he has to cooperate. He says of course, then asks for the name of the lying son of a bitch who is yanking their chain, saying if he is filing it is public record. But Benson doesn’t give him the name, only saying it is early in the investigation and it is clear Donna has his confidence so they’ve heard everything they need to. Benson get up from her desk to signal he should leave and he thanks them for having him.

Meanwhile, back at Tommy and Bella’s apartment, Bella is irate, saying she can’t believe it, asking if he had sex with his parole officer. Carisi tries to step in and she questions that he is defending him. Carisi explains that what happened with Donna and Tommy wasn’t sex; she forced him, she had a gun. Tommy swears to god, but Bella pushes him back, not believing it happened out of the blue, asking why would she do that? She asks him to tell her he didn’t come on to her, and he replies no, if he had a thing with her does she think he would be telling her about it? Bella asks what kind of sex was this, and Carisi explains it was not that kind of sex. Bella continues to berate Tommy, asking that he has sex all the way. Tommy counters that he had a gun to his head. Bella doesn’t believe the gun was at his head the whole time, saying “no chance!” Tommy says she is his PO and she said she could bust him right there so he did what she told him to do. Bella nags him that he couldn’t do it when her parents were asleep two doors down but he had no problem with a gun to his head? Sonny tells her that his boss has been doing this for a long time and she says this does happen, and she believes him. Bella is shocked that Carisi told his boss and asks in a loud voice if everybody knows Tommy slept with Donna but her? Tommy emphasizes he did not sleep with her and to stop saying that. There is a loud knock on the door and a woman’s voice yells out to Tommy, saying he’d better be in there because it is past curfew. Bella asks who is that, his girlfriend? . Carisi asks if Tommy has a home visit tonight, and Tommy says no as he moves to answer the door. Bella also makes a move to the door but Carisi puts his hand on her shoulder to stop her. Tommy opens the door and Donna walks in with two officers, saying this is a home inspection and to stay right where he is. She stops dead in her tracks when she sees Carisi and asks who the hell is he? He points to Bella and says he is her brother. Tommy questions if he can ask what this is about, and she says he can just shut his mouth. Bella stands there stunned, with her mouth agape. As they move through the house, Tommy says there is nothing here, but the other officer asks him what did Donna just say? Bella asks Tommy what did he do, and Tommy insists he didn’t do anything. Donna calls from another room saying she got something, and she brings out bags of oxycodone, saying it is ready for retail. Carisi looks stunned and Donna tells Tommy to put his hands behind his back. Tommy insists he’s never seen that before and Donna tells him he is under arrest for the possession of illegal prescription drugs. Tommy says those are not his, and Carisi tells him not to say another word unless he has a lawyer present. Donna says he’s right, he’d “better call Saul.” As they take Tommy away, Carisi shakes his head. Bella slams the door and asks Carisi why he didn’t tell them he is a cop. Carisi explains that would not have helped the situation. Bella is apoplectic, complaining Tommy is drinking, cheating, and now drugs…she’s supposed to be having this guy’s baby and she doesn’t even know who he is. She storms past Carisi and walks into another room,

Later, in jail, Carisi and Amaro speak with Tommy who swears those drugs are not his and thinks Donna planted them because he made the accusation and asks if they told her. When Amaro explains they spoke with Donna's supervisor, Carisi is surprised and Tommy says they should have never done that, those two are thick as thieves. Carisi tries to assure Tommy they were just doing their jobs but tells Amaro a heads up would have been appreciated. Amaro tries to get Tommy to focus on now, and asks if he can prove the oxy wasn’t his. Tommy asks how can he do this, and Amaro asks if his drug tests are all clean. Tommy says yes but Donna is claiming he is a dealer. He asks to call everything off about the accusation but Carisi explains it doesn’t work that way, they found the stuff in his house. Tommy comments that he’s done, he’s a three time loser. Carisi says not if they can prove she had a motive and was trying to discredit him. Amaro advises to go forward with the rape accusation as it makes the bust look like payback. Tommy asks who will believe him now, and Carisi says he does.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Here is a preview clip from Law & Order SVU “Parole Violations” which will air on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 9PM ET on NBC. The preview clip features Peter Scanavino, Michael Chernus, and Marin Ireland.